# expensive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/ · frequency rank #2,071

## Definitions
1. Having a high price or cost.
2. Taking a lot of system time or resources.
3. Given to expending a lot of money; profligate, lavish.
4. Having a high economy rate.

## Etymology
From Latin *expēnsīvus, from expendō (“to weigh out (money), to pay out”) (whence English expend). By surface analysis, expense + -ive. In the sense of "high-priced" has largely displaced dear.

## Easily confused with
- **extensive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/expensive-vs-extensive)
- **explosive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/expensive-vs-explosive)
- **expressive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/expensive-vs-expressive)
- **expense** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/expense-vs-expensive)
- **excessive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excessive-vs-expensive)
- **expansive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/expansive-vs-expensive)

## Common misspellings (13)
`epxensive`, `exepnsive`, `expenisve`, `expennsive`, `expensiev`, `expensivve`, `expenssive`, `expensvie`, `expesnive`, `expnesive`, `exppensive`, `exxpensive`, `xepensive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/expensive